Pete Pallette, Karin Liang and Bob McCaffrey, organizers of Stop the Dock Tax, are calling for a boycott of the Christmas Boat Parade in Newport. COURTESY OF DAVE ELLIS

It's the time of year for holiday cheer as many countywide flock to Newport to see the annual Christmas Boat parade.

The Newport Harbor Christmas Boat parade Dec. 19-23 celebrates its 104th year with the theme "Surf, Sand and Santa" ... or will it?

The event, put on by the Newport Chamber of Commerce and hosted by its Commodores Club, now finds itself in the middle of a nasty battle between residential dock owners and the city.

Folks around the water are threatening to turn off their lights and pull their boats from the parade to protest increased dock fees proposed by the city.

In a nutshell, the state has issued a mandate to bring all tideland fees up to fair market value.

Pretty much everyone with a dock is affected, with the exception of a few private bays in Newport.

It's a three-part issue – the city has already raised fees for commercial docks and moorings. And now it's the residential dock owners' turn, and they're not happy.

The fees affect about 1,000 residents living on the water who pay $100 per year and now face increases of anywhere from $400 to as much as $5,000 annually.

Opponents claim the city hasn't fleshed out a proper formula for the increases – which residents see as a tax, not a fee. They also say the City Council is rushing to vote on this Dec. 11 and should table this discussion until January to allow for more community input.

City Councilman Rush Hill disagrees, saying the city has done proper due diligence.

For the past two years the city has studied the issue and increased fees on commercial marinas and moorings – fees which hadn't been raised in more than 20 years, he tells me.

Newport residents Bob McCaffrey and Pete Pallette are the organizers of the Stop the Dock Tax group.

Pallette tells me residents are not opposed to what he calls "a reasonable increase," but feels the council isn't getting it right.

In protest, Stop the Dock Tax has called for a boycott of the boat parade.

"The goal here is to get the attention of the City Council," Palette says.

But as with any protest, there's always the risk of unforeseen blowback.

Hill tells me since the boat parade boycott was announced, he's getting emails from residents all over the city unsympathetic with the dock owners' plight.

"People are angry," he says.

More than feelings are at stake.

The financial impact could be devastating – especially to the Newport Chamber, an organization that's faced substantial losses for the last three years, according to its 990 tax forms.

Losing revenue from this event could put it deeper into a financial abyss.

A boycott also impacts hotels, restaurants and charter boats that book parties – sometimes a year in advance – in anticipation of the parade.

The city would also be affected, seeing less sales tax revenues from these businesses.

Andy Crean, owner of Villa Nova restaurant in the harbor, tells me customers are calling to ask if the parade will happen or not.

Crean says his restaurant is booked solid for boat parade week and doesn't believe all boaters will boycott. He does however, anticipate a much-smaller parade.

"Even when it's been bad weather there are still a few boats going around," he says.

No doubt the issue is complex and is dividing this city.

When I first heard about the boycott I was disappointed – this dampens my holiday fun factor for sure.

But let's not forget the folks along the water who spend countless hours and dollars to decorate their boats and homes for this event as a labor of love.

While businesses and the city benefit from their goodwill efforts, these homeowners see no financial gain.

So is it right to vilify them for executing their rights as Americans to protest?

I support that right, as we all should.

It's clear to me if the council tabled this until January, the boat parade would be saved, tempers would calm, and at least there'd be some holiday cheer.

Unfortunately, I don't think that will happen.

Though my husband Stan and I don't live on the main channel where boat parade passes and the dock fees don't affect us, he says he's not putting up lights this year as a show of solidarity.

Really?

I'm planning several parties and all I have to say is this place better scream Ho Ho Ho ... boat parade or no boat parade.

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